GOOD MANNERS TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN
I never get
tired of repeating it. It is never too early to start teaching your children
good manners. To the question as to why? My reply is simply that we are doing
something that will directly contribute to the child’s success in life! What
could be more rewarding than knowing that your child will be able to foster
great relationships with family and friends, both peers and adults by having
the skills to do so. Having good manners
will make your child a more pleasant and kind person. Someone with empathy and
gratitude.
So what
manners should you be teaching your child?
Here are
some that I suggest you start working on right away!
1- Say
Please and Thank You – sounds obvious right, but the important thing is that
you use those words with him or her, so that your modeling is as loud as your
words.
2- Saying
Sorry – along with the top ones, a really important word to learn to use, simply
because it shows that you are aware of someone else’s feeling and emotions.
3- Making
Eye Contact – it shows respect and basic courtesy to the person you are
speaking with. Teaches to pay attention and be an active listener.
4- Having a
Conversation – from topics to the volume of your voice, this is a very valuable
skill to teach children from a young age. It also promotes self-regulation as
it allows them to share their interests and feelings while doing it in an
appropriate way.
5- Helping
others – such as opening door for older people or someone with full hands. It
will promote self-esteem and be well-liked by others.
There are,
of course, many more manners that we should and could teach, but if we start with these, we are sure to make a
very useful contribution to our children’s social skills and, therefore,
success.